Collapsible clothesline dryer



3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 24, 1956 INVENTOR.

CHA R L ES SHOR E ATTORNEYS Sept. 9, 1958 c. SHORE 2,851,169

COLLAPSIBLE CLOTHESLINE DRYER Filed Sept. 24, 1956 s Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

. CHARLES SHORE BY'Q.

v ATTORNEYS:

Uited COLLAPSIBLE CLOTHESLINE DRYER 4 Claims. (Cl. 211178) This invention relates to a collapsible clothesline dryer of the type in which the rope arms extend substantially parallel to each other in horizontal positions on both sides of a central post when the dryer is fully unfolded with the clotheslines extending between the rope arms. This is known in the art as a parallel line dryer.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a collapsible parallel line dryer in which the rope arms are operatively connected to the central post by a means which simply and efficiently effects a folding and unfolding of the rope arms. I

A further object of the invention is to provide a parallel line dryer in which the rope arms are moved from afolded position vertically adjacent the central post to an unfolded horizontal position by means of a simple and direct acting, slide mechanism which operatively interconnects the rope arms with the central post and which does not interfere with the ropes orclotheslines which are suspended on the arms. 7

Further objects and features of the invention will become more apparent as the following description proceeds in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is an elevational view of the dryer;

Figure 2 is a top plan view;

Figure 3 is an enlarged section taken on the line 33 of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is an end view looking from line 4--4 of Figure 1;

Figure 5 is an enlarged section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4;

Figure 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of a structural detail;

Figure 7 is an enlarged section taken on the line 77 of Figure 4;

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective view of another structural detail;

Figure 9 is an elevational view of the dryer in a partially folded position, one side only being shown for clarity;

Figure 10 is an end view similar to Figure 9 illustrating the dryer in folded position; and 8 Figure 11 is a side view of the dryer in folded position looking from line 1111 on Figure 10.

Specific reference is now made to the drawings in which similar reference characters are used for corresponding elements throughout.

The present dryer is generally indicated at 10 and is of the type known in the art as a collapsible parallel line dryer. It comprises a central post 12, preferably a metal pipe which is adapted to be retained in an upright position in the ground as shown in Figure 1, a pair of unitary rope arms 14 and 16 between which are suspended a plurality of clotheslines 18 and a novel means of interconnecting the rope arms to the central post whereby the rope arms are moved from the collapsed position vertically adjacent the central post as shown in Figure 11 to a position where the rope arms extend horizontally and rates Patent 0 substantially parallel to each other on both sides of the central post as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

The means interconnecting the rope arms with the central post comprises a pair of upper and lower collars 20 and 22, each being provided with pairs of spaced radially extending lugs 24. The upper collar 20 is fixedly secured adjacent the upper end of the central post whereas the lower collar 22 is slidable on the post and can be retained in an adjusted fixed position by a pin 26 which is adapted to extend through apertures in the central post 12, the pin being held on the lower collar by an appropriate chain 28.

Four relatively long brace arms 30, 32, 34 and 36 are provided whose inner ends are flattened and received in the spaced lugs 240i the slide collar 22 and there pivoted as at 38. The outer ends of these long brace arms are operatively connected to the rope arms 14 and 16 in a manner which will be described hereinafter.

Pivoted intermediate the ends of the long brace arms as at 40 are shorter brace members 42 whose opposite or inner ends are also flattened and received in the lugs of the fixed collar 20 and there pivoted as at 44.

A pair of elongated rod members 46 and 48 are provided which are shorter than the rope arms 14 and 16. The rods 46 and 48 are secured adjacent their ends to the respective rope arms 14 and 16 by an elongated double headed bolt or pivot 50, there being a collar 52 on the shank of the bolt 50 serving as a spacer between the rope arms and the rods, as shown more clearly in Figure 5. The rods 46 and 48 extend substantially parallel to their respective rope arms 14 and 16 as clearly illustrated in the drawings. The outer ends of the diagonally opposed longer brace arms 32 and 36 are universally connected directly to the "rope arms 14 and 16 respectively immediately beyond the respective ends of the rods 46 and 48 as shown more clearly in Figures 2 and 11. This is accomplished by rotatably mounting an eye 54 on each of the rope arms 14 and 16 beyond the corresponding ends of the rods 46 and 48, which eye engages another eye 56 which is rotata-bly mounted adjacent the outer ends of the diagonally opposed brace members 32 and 36 as shown clearly in Figures 7 and 8.

The outer ends ofthe other pair of diagonally opposed brace members 30 and 34 are slidably connected to the rods 46 and 48. This is accomplished by providing a hook member 58 having a shank 60 which extends diagonally through and is rotatably mounted upon the brace members 30 and 34 adjacent their ends as shown clearly in Figures 5 and 6. The hook members 58 slidably embrace the rods 46 and 48.

In operation when the dryer is in the collapsed position as shown in Figure 11, the rope arms 14 and 16 extend vertically in a position closely adjacent the central post 12. In this position the hook members 58 carried at the ends of one pair of the diagonal brace members 3i) and 34 are closely adjacent the upper bolts 50 which connect the rods 46 and 48 to the rope arms.

As the collar 22 is slid upwardly on the central post, the larger brace arms 39-36 and smaller brace members 42 begin to unfold and the hook members 58 begin to slide towards the other ends of the rods 46 and 48. Because of the universal connection 54, 56 between the diagonal brace members 32 and 36 and the rope arms 14 and 16, the rope arms begin to rotate from a vertical to a horizontal position and attain the fully horizontal position shown in Figure 2 when the dryer is fully erected, at which point the hook members 58 abut the spacers 52 of the rods 46 and 48 in diagonally opposed positions as shown clearly in Figure 2. The rotation of the rope arms when going from the folded to the unfolded position is in opposite directions because the universal connection lactween the longer brace arms and the rope arms is effected at the outer ends of only one pair of the diagonally extending brace arms 32 and 36.

When the operation is reversed and the dryer is moved from the erected to the folded position, the hook members 58 slide upon the rods 46 and 48 to a position where the weight of the rope arms causes them to turn from a horizontal to a vertical position. The operation is direct and smooth and is such that the mechanism causing the change of the rope arms from a vertical to a horizontal position and vice versa does not interfere with the suspension of the clotheslines. This operation is further rendered smooth because the universal connections 54, 56 at the ends of the diagonally opposed brace members 32 and 36 extend somewhat beyond the corresponding ends of the rods 46 and 48 as shown clearly in Figures 2 and 11. The spacers 52 on the bolts 50 which connect the ends of the rods 46 and 48 to the respective rope arms 14 and 16 serve as stops to limit the sliding movement of the hooks 58 on the rods.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been shown and described herein, minor variations may be made by a skilled artisan without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A collapsible clothes dryer comprising a central post adapted to be held in an upright position, a pair of rope arms, four brace arms slidably and pivotally mounted at their inner ends on said post, brace members pivoted at their inner ends to a fixed position on said post above said brace arms and at their outer ends to said brace arms intermediate the ends thereof, rods secured adjacent their ends to each rope arm and extending substantially parallel thereto, means universally pivoting two diagonally opposed ends of said brace arms to said rope arms, and means pivotally and slidably mounting the other two diagonally opposed ends of said brace arms on said rods.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said universal pivoting means includes interengaging eye members having shanks which are rotatably secured to said rope arms and to said brace arms adjacent said two diagonally opposed ends.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said means pivotally and slidably mounting said other two diagonally opposed ends of said brace arms on said rods includes hook members embracing said rods and having shanks which are rotatably secured to said brace arms adjacent said other two diagonally opposed ends.

4. A collapsible clothes dryer comprising a central post adapted to be held in an upright position, a pair of rope arms, four brace arms slidably and pivotally mounted at their inner ends on said post, brace members pivoted at their inner ends to a fixed position on said post above said brace arms and at their outer ends to said brace arms intermediate the ends thereof, means universally pivoting the ends of two diagonally opposed brace arms to said rope arms adjacent the ends thereof, and means pivotally and slidably connecting the ends of the other two brace arms to parallel rods on said rope arms, whereby said rope arms are supported in the collapsed position vertically adjacent said post and in the extended position substantially horizontal and parallel to each other and spaced from said post.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,576,629 Culp Mar. 16, 1926 2,327,232 Wheeler Aug. 17, 1943 2,644,592 Campion July 7, 1953 2,670,855 Pierie Mar. 2, 1954 2,747,749 Shore et al. May 29, 1956 2,794,556 Lego June 4, 1957 2,795,337 Hagar June 11, 1957 

